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I Have An Idea

Conrad and I have known for years that one day we would pack up and go sailing. We love the water and we love to travel. In my mind that “One Day” would come once our daughter Logan, who is not a huge fan of sailing, is grown and out of the house.

As we sat at the bar in Madisonville, LA during the summer of 2010, enjoying afternoon cocktails at our favorite seafood restaurant, from out of nowhere Conrad said, “I have an idea.” Now, I had to laugh to myself at the sound of these words. Conrad has an entrepreneurial spirit and ALWAYS has an idea. “We should leave and go sailing at the end of next year,” he said. It’s obvious he’s put some thought into this. He has a specific time frame in mind and he waited until I had a few drinks in me before he sprung his latest idea.

Logan at the time was 14. My first thought was if she doesn’t already hate us this would do it for sure. What about our jobs? How will I ever finish my degree if we go sailing now? Conrad’s wise words to me were, “There will always be a “better time” to go sailing and there will always be reasons why we shouldn’t go now.” “It will all work out.”

That’s a tough point to argue and it made complete sense to me. There will always be a reason to put the voyage off and Logan should be a part of this experience. It may take years for her to appreciate the opportunity that’s been put before her. That’s okay, I can live with that.

So the decision was made. We would leave from our port in Pensacola, FL at the end of 2011 and head for the Caribbean.

The initial shock of leaving her family and friends behind for a while seems to be wearing off for Logan. Maybe we won’t have to hog tie her after all in order to get he aboard the boat for departure. Actually, the more we talk about the adventures to come and places to see the more at ease she becomes.

Now, anytime Conrad and I are having cocktails and I hear the words “I have an Idea,” I can’t help but feel a little frightened of what may come next.